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20.03.2009 14:09
"The tie will be decided in the details"
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Tito Vilanova believes that the Champions League tie against Bayern Munch will be close and that the winner could be decided by the details of the two meetings next month.
The Blaugrana assistant head coach spoke to Barça TV and the official clubs website after the
draw had paired the Catalan club with the German giants and he believes that "if Barça play how we
can and maintain our level" then the team has every chance of reaching the semi final of the
competition. "It will be an even tie and will be decided in the details," he explained. "It will be
like any game at the highest level, but we know that we have a chance."
Even things out
Barça and Bayern have met in two
ties before and the first leg will be their fifth game. Pep Guardiola's side will be looking to
become the first Blaugrana team to win against the Bavarian club. "We have possibilities and we do
not think that we can lose again because it is not normal that there is so much difference at this
level. We will try to even the balance up a bit," Vilanova continued.
Away from home
With the second leg behind away from home for Barcelona, Vilanova admitted that while the
Catalan side wanted it to be the other way round, he still feels confident about the two matches.
"Every team that we could have played is strong, but of course everyone had their preferences," he
stated. "I only had one preference and that was the return game was at home. But it is not to be
and now we also must face the semi final playing away second too. But that is something that we
cannot do anything about and we have to just try and win them both."
Only looking at Bayern
Not wanting to talk about a possible semi final with either Chelsea or Liverpool, Vilanova
looked ahead only at Bayern Munich. "First we have to think about the quarter final," he explained.
"Bayern are on the biggest teams in Europe and they are having a great season, especially in the
Champions League. They will be tough to beat. The Germnan teams traditionally are physically
strong, tall and dangerous from set pieces, as well as having a lot of quality."
Txiki: "The team’s performances mean I have to be optimistic"
Txiki Begiristain believes that the tie against Bayern Munich "will mean
that we will have to be stronger than ever over the 180 minutes". The Barça technical secretary was
optimistic though as he added: "The team means that I have to be like that. We have a great side
that are playing verytand well and if we continue playing like this then everyone will be
optimistic."
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Laporta: "Magic European nights are guaranteed"
Looking ahead to both the quarter final and the semi final, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta
said that "magic European nights are guaranteed".
The Blaugana supremo admitted that he would rather not have drawn Bayern Munich because of the friendship between the clubs and that "only one of the two of us can go through". He then added: "There were no easy teams and now we will have to do everything that we can to qualify for the next round. It will be very difficult and we cannot be distracted from the task, but we will be highly motivated."
Both in the quarter final against Bayern and in the semi final, if the team reaches that stage, Barcelona will play the second leg away from home and Laporta knows it will be tough. "The draw has given us the two second legs away and that makes things even trickier," he said. "It makes it an even greater challenge and if we win both of them then it will give us even more merit."
The Blaugana supremo admitted that he would rather not have drawn Bayern Munich because of the friendship between the clubs and that "only one of the two of us can go through". He then added: "There were no easy teams and now we will have to do everything that we can to qualify for the next round. It will be very difficult and we cannot be distracted from the task, but we will be highly motivated."
Both in the quarter final against Bayern and in the semi final, if the team reaches that stage, Barcelona will play the second leg away from home and Laporta knows it will be tough. "The draw has given us the two second legs away and that makes things even trickier," he said. "It makes it an even greater challenge and if we win both of them then it will give us even more merit."
